For more than 90 years, NRC scientists have been improving the lives of Canadians and our economy through exciting discoveries and innovative research. From biotechnology to aerospace research, astronomy to nanotechnology, NRC research plays a key role.

Read on to learn about some of NRC's greatest accomplishments.

Life Sciences

	World's first simulation-based brain surgery performed in Halifax Using NRC technology, surgeons in Halifax performed a patient-specific rehearsal of a brain tumour resection in a virtual-reality environment.
	NRC Research helps build a Billion-dollar Canola Business The Canadian Prairies are blanketed with millions of acres of bright yellow canola fields. The crop is used in dozens of products, including cooking oil, mayonnaise and printing ink.
	Winning the War against Infant Meningitis Meningitis is a deadly disease that affects 400 people a year in Canada. The disease causes membranes around the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed, leading to permanent brain damage, deafness, or even death.
	Eliminating E. coli for Safer Food and Water The safety of our food and water is a serious concern for Canadians. We need to know that the food we eat and the water we drink to stay healthy won't accidentally make us ill.

Physical Sciences

	Bomb Sniffers Battle Terrorist Threats Long before fictional forensic investigators with fancy crime-busting gadgets became popular entertainment, the Canadian Mounties were using some of the world's best detection equipment to sniff out hidden weapons.
	Keeping Canada on Time Imagine what life would be like if everyone followed a different time. How would we schedule appointments, run businesses or know when class starts? If it were not for time standards, our society would not work efficiently – we'd all be too confused!
	Scientific Research Helps World War II War Effort In the midst of the Second World War, scientists around the world turned their attention to research that would benefit the war effort. National Research Council scientists were no exception.
	NRC Science Protects a Patriotic Symbol The Canadian flag we know today was born in 1965. After a lengthy search and much debate, the red and white design with a single red maple leaf in the centre became our national flag, affectionately known as "The Maple Leaf."
	Physics Finds a Better Way to Target Cancer These days, a cancer diagnosis is not automatically seen as a death sentence. Over the years, successful treatments have allowed cancer patients to carry on longer and more productive lives.

Engineering & Technology

	Vancouver 2010: The NRC Edge Psst, psst! NRC scientists are on a “Top Secret” mission to have more Canadian athletes than ever before on the podium at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
	Hold that pose! To help prepare for Vancouver 2010, Canada’s Own the Podium 2010 organization put NRC scientists to work in areas that are crucial to improving athletic performance.
	NRC's Olympic Story A lot goes into making an Olympic athlete. Extraordinary skill and determination go a long way in fulfilling gold-medal dreams, but there is more to winning than hard work.
	Engineering a Better Quality of Life The dedicated researchers at the National Research Council have produced many significant medical technologies and advancements, but perhaps two of the most important are the first practical motorized wheelchair and the first artificial pacemaker.
	Streamlining the Steam Locomotive At the start of the 1930s, the National Research Council had just finished building its first wind tunnel. The Ottawa facility joined the ranks of the world's best wind tunnels and soon became an invaluable research tool for Canada's top scientists.
	Concrete and Cement Science Still Stand Strong In 1920, huge concrete structures across western Canada started crumbling from Winnipeg's sewers to Saskatoon's public buildings. When National Research Council (NRC) scientists were called in to figure out the problem, they found that sulphate waters were attacking the concrete in these structures, causing it to swell and break down.
	Innovative Devices Improve the Lives of the Disabled For many decades, National Research Council scientists have developed practical and innovative aids for people with disabilities. These devices have helped improve the everyday lives of people with visual, verbal, physical and other disabilities.

Astronomy & Space Science

	The Development of a Canadian Astronaut Program In the summer of 1983, the National Research Council placed a help wanted ad in newspapers across Canada. NRC was looking for six people to develop experiments, perform public awareness activities, and undertake what would probably be the most exciting voyage of their lives – a journey into space.
	Extending Canada's Role in Space Exploration A prolific inventor, NRC engineer George Klein's seemingly endless list of innovations spans nearly every field from atomic energy and aeronautic engineering to medical research and Space science.
	Space Vision System Helps Astronauts See in Space Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield described Space as "a surreal place to work, with no familiar landmarks or objects to give perspective and depth." Yet for years, humans have been launching satellites, performing Space walks and building Space stations despite the challenges of working in Space.

Arts and Entertainment

	A New Era in Electronic Music In the 1980s, a popular new genre of music called synthpop took over the airwaves. The distinct style was filled with the funky sounds produced by newly-available technologies like electronic drum machines and synthesizers.
	Virtualizing Reality: Preserving Treasures and Innovating Entertainment When virtual reality (VR) technology was developed in the 1980s, it was envisioned as a way for people to do extraordinary things, like play inside of video games or go on "virtual" holidays. The reality of virtual reality, however, is much different and much more practical.
	Where it all started – Animation in the NRC labs In the late 1960s, NRC's Nestor Burtnyk heard a Disney Studios animator speak about making cartoons. Less than a year later, Burtnyk had developed a new technique that would revolutionize the way animators create 3D graphics.

Safety and Security

	Thin-Film Technology Helps Foil Counterfeiters Take a close look at one of the newest Canadian $5 bills. If you hold it against a strong light you will see it contains a narrow strip of plastic that is embedded within the paper.
	Saving Survivors by Finding Fallen Aircraft Before the 1960s, wilderness airplane crashes usually ended in tragedy. Even if they were not seriously injured during the crash, survivors faced a long wait before they could be rescued, often succumbing to starvation or exposure to the elements before they could be saved.
	Science Improves Crime-Busting Techniques Today, more than ever, science and crime-fighting go hand-in-hand. Law enforcement officials rely on sophisticated equipment and techniques to find tiny clues, detect dangerous situations and prevent criminal activity.